Another fine letter to the editor

Dick Marshall of Crafton writes a moving tribute to his deceased father, noting his loving acceptance and celebration of Dick's identify as a gay man.

My father died nine years ago, encouraging me until the very end of his life to be a compassionate, nonjudgmental, loving and inclusive man. He encouraged my leadership with mentally challenged children and as a facilitator with HIV and family groups affected by AIDS. He also encouraged me to stay active in my church. My father loved me unconditionally as his gay son as he loved my brother as his straight son. He would have hoped (and prayed) that Mr. Fox would one day feel similarly about his own beloved son, and I imagine that he would have wanted to quietly and firmly shake Mr. Fazzini's hand.

Mr. Fox and Mr. Fazzine testified at the recent Presbytery meeting on gay clergy. Mr. Fox said he loved his son but deplored his identity as a gay man which he deemed sinful and unworthy of providing leadership in the church. Mr. Fazzini also has a gay son of whom he states he is inordinatnly proud and clearly deserving of a church that affirms and celebrates him as a complete being, not in spite of his identity.

Sue, Messages like Dick Marshall's need to be shouted from the rooftops. It appears that the only way there will be movement in the Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh is to shame them. I don't think they get the shamefulness of their current position. My deepest wish is that they come to a different understanding of what being grace filled looks like regarding treatment of GLBT people.
As a member of Presbytery it looks to me like Pittsburgh says “this will never happen on our watch” (equal ordination standards). Fortunately the rest of the country is not so resistant to a more open standard for ordination.
It is sad that we in Pittsburgh cannot lead in being a stand for what is fair, and what honors all and excludes none but there are deeply entrenched individuals and camps that will make that very difficult. Sadly, homophobia is alive and well here.
Our GLBT readers need to know there are plenty of Presbyterians who are allies and partnered with others in the Church to continue to work hard toward a more welcoming and open church. Please don't paint us all with a negative broad brush. Our time will come. Mike Fazzini

Sue, Messages like Dick Marshall's need to be shouted from the rooftops. It appears that the only way there will be movement in the Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh is to shame them. I don't think they get the shamefulness of their current position. My deepest wish is that they come to a different understanding of what being grace filled looks like regarding treatment of GLBT people.
As a member of Presbytery it looks to me like Pittsburgh says “this will never happen on our watch” (equal ordination standards). Fortunately the rest of the country is not so resistant to a more open standard for ordination.
It is sad that we in Pittsburgh cannot lead in being a stand for what is fair, and what honors all and excludes none but there are deeply entrenched individuals and camps that will make that very difficult. Sadly, homophobia is alive and well here.
Our GLBT readers need to know there are plenty of Presbyterians who are allies and partnered with others in the Church to continue to work hard toward a more welcoming and open church. Please don't paint us all with a negative broad brush. Our time will come. Mike Fazzini